The Environmental Debate, Third Edition

Politicizing the Environmental Debate, 2000–2017 231

WHEREAS, in 1998 the City Council adopted

the Sustainable Development Initiative

(Resolution #74678 C.M.S) embracing the

concept of meeting people’s current economic,

social, cultural, and environmental needs in

ways that enhance the ability of future genera-

tions to meet their needs; and

WHEREAS, Oakland’s FY 2005-07 Mayor and

City Council Goals include: Develop A Sus-

tainable City through maximizing socially and

environmentally sustainable economic growth,

including conserving natural resources; and

WHEREAS, in alliance with the Oakland’s Sus-

tainable Development Initiative and Sustain-

able City goal, in June 2005 Oakland Mayor

Jerry Brown joined mayors of 50 of the world’s

largest and most visionary cities as an origi-

nal signer of the United Nations World Envi-

ronment Day Urban Environmental Accords,

pledging that Oakland would implement 21

action steps toward sustainable cities in the

areas of energy, waste reduction, urban design,

transportation, environmental health, and

water including: Establish a policy to achieve

zero waste; and

WHEREAS, adopting a goal of zero waste dis-

posal and pursuing Zero Waste principles is

consistent with, and an explicit validation of

Oakland’s Sustainable Development Initiative

and Sustainable City Goal; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, that the Mayor and City Council

hereby adopt a Zero Waste Goal by 2020 for the

City of Oakland and direct the Public Works

Agency, in concert with the Mayor’s Office, to

develop a Zero Waste Strategic Plan to achieve

the City’s Zero Waste Goal; and be it

FURTHER RESOLVED, that Public Works

Agency, in conjunction with the Mayor’s Office,

will convene a Zero Waste working group to

develop a Zero Waste Strategic Plan that will

provide guidance in the planning and decision-

making process to achieve the City’s Zero Waste

Goal; and be it

WHEREAS, in 2001 the California Integrated
Waste Management Board set a goal of Zero
Waste in its strategic plan for the state; and cit-
ies, councils, counties, and states worldwide have
adopted a goal of achieving zero waste, includ-
ing the counties of San Francisco, Santa Cruz,
San Luis Obispo and Del Norte in California;
the cities of Palo Alto and Berkeley in Califor-
nia, Seattle in Washington, Toronto in Canada,
and Canberra in Australia; and the state of New
South Wales in Australia; and 45% of New Zea-
land’s local government councils; and

WHEREAS, strategies to reach zero waste can
help to promote the over-arching goal of each
generation leaving less and less of an ecological
footprint on the earth thus allowing more and
more of nature to restore; and

WHEREAS, Zero Waste principles promote the
highest and best use of materials to eliminate
waste and pollution, emphasizing a closed-loop
system of production and consumption, mov-
ing in logical increments toward the goal of zero
waste through the core principles of:
• Improving “downstream” reuse/recy-
cling of end-of-life products and materi-
als to ensure their highest and best use;
• Pursuing “upstream” re-design strate-
gies to reduce the volume and toxicity of
discarded products and materials, and
promote low-impact or reduced con-
sumption lifestyles;
• Fostering and supporting use of discarded

products and materials to stimulate
and drive local economic and workforce
development; and

WHEREAS, in 1992 the City Council adopted
Resolution #68780 C.M.S. authorizing establish-
ment of a City staff supported Recycling Market
Development Zone; and recycling continues to
be a significant local industry, whose long-term
viability is a key component to Oakland’s cur-
rent and future waste reduction achievements,
economic development, and workforce develop-
ment of “green collar” jobs; and